Arson-hit social club is demolished

Published:08:26Wednesday 28 March 2012

Share this article

Sign Up To Our Daily Newsletter

THE remaining parts of a social club which was destroyed by arsonists last year have been knocked down.

Volunteers from the committee at Wellingborough Whitworth FC gathered on Monday and yesterday to help get rid of the remnants of Whitworth’s Sports and Social Club in London Road, Wellingborough, which was targeted by arsonists in October last year.

Various fundraising efforts have taken place since to help raise cash towards rebuilding the social club. The total raised so far is about £7,000.

Committee member Terry Looker said: “Part of the building was still standing so we had to demolish that first. We took that down to a point where we could start putting it into skips.

“I think there was probably about a fifth of it still standing. We started demolishing it because when visiting teams come it looks a bit of an eyesore.”

Mr Looker said having the remnants of the fire-hit building still standing had been a “sad reminder” of what happened.

Committee member Cliff Chennell said: “We had the digger there to pull the rest of the building down, then we were loading up the skip. It’s better now it’s clear.”

Julian Souster, secretary of Wellingborough Whitworth FC, said more than 12 tonnes of rubbish had been taken away from the site.

Mr Souster said he wanted to thank Wellingborough School, Prestige and Whitworths Holdings, as the three had leant equipment and manpower to help with the demolition. He said: “A lot of hard work has been going on there with a lot of generous help from people.”